Winton homicide defendant declared not guilty by reason of insanity

A 43-year-old Winton woman has been declared not guilty by reason of insanity in connection with the 2009 death of her 84-year-old roommate.

Rachelle Lynn Hampton, 43, withdrew her not guilty plea to all criminal charges Friday before Judge Ronald W. Hansen in Merced Superior Court.

“The not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity plea admits guilt for the criminal act but shows a defendant was legally insane at the time,” said Walter Wall, the Merced County deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case.

Hampton acknowledged killing Savino Herrera Baiz on July 23, 2009, at his home on Fairlane Avenue in Winton. Investigators said Hampton had been staying with Baiz and violence sparked when he tried to force her out of the home and she shot him.

“She’s competent right now,” her attorney Thomas Pfeiff said. “Now that she understands what she did, she’s devastated by it. The victim was her friend.”

Prosecutors declined to comment on the exact nature of Hampton’s diagnosis, citing possible medical privacy concerns. “We can say she was evaluated three times and was found to be severely, chronically mentally ill and unlikely to recover any time soon,” Wall said. “Her mental illness issues date back decades.”

Hampton will return to court Nov. 9 for the formal sentencing hearing. Attorneys in the case said they expect Hampton will be sent to a state psychiatric hospital for treatment.

“She’ll be there until doctors determine she is competent and not a danger to society,” Pfeiff said.

Should Hampton be restored to competency in the future, she could be released after a legal hearing, the prosecutor said.

Hampton’s competency significantly hampered the lengthy on-again, off-again court process during the past six years. Criminal proceedings were frequently delayed, and Hampton spent several stints in Napa State Hospital undergoing psychiatric treatment.

Hampton was deemed unfit to stand trial in August 2009 and remained hospitalized for more than a year. She returned to face the murder charge again in 2011. The case has been delayed several times to allow defense attorneys to collect Hampton’s psychiatric records, authorities said.

Wall said the victim’s family members were relieved to have the case settled. The prosecutor said Baiz’s family hopes Hampton will remain hospitalized for the rest of her life.

Pfeiff described Friday’s plea as “the only right outcome possible.”

“She was clearly insane when she committed the crime,” Pfeiff said. “There’s really no other explanation other than she was delusional.”

This story was originally published October 9, 2015 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Winton homicide defendant declared not guilty by reason of insanity."